TASKFORCE FOILS COCOA SMUGGLING ATTEMPTS IN VOLTA REGION

Date: 28th August 2025

The Anti-Cocoa Smuggling Taskforce has foiled two separate attempts to smuggle cocoa beans into neighbouring Togo, leading to the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of significant quantities of cocoa.

In the first incident, the Taskforce intercepted a Kia Sorento loaded with eight bags of cocoa beans at the Maame Water Checkpoint in the Volta Region. The driver, identified as William Tsikata, ignored signals to stop during a late-night operation, prompting a brief pursuit. A search of the vehicle revealed the cocoa beans, reportedly being transported from Assin Fosu to Kpetoe for onward smuggling. During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the smuggling attempt. Both the vehicle and the cocoa were handed over to the Ghana Police Service for investigation and prosecution.

In a related operation, the Taskforce, acting on a tip-off and in collaboration with the Sogakope Police, intercepted a Mercedes-Benz bus transporting 50 bags of cocoa beans on the Accra-Sogakope stretch. The vehicle, with registration number BA 1961-C, was apprehended during a surveillance operation, and two suspects were arrested. The suspects, together with the vehicle and cocoa, were handed over to the Sogakope District Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.

Management of COCOBOD has commended the Taskforce for its swift actions and reiterated its commitment to intensifying intelligence-led operations along cocoa-producing corridors. The public has also been urged to support the national fight against cocoa smuggling, which threatens Ghana’s economic stability and the welfare of hardworking cocoa farmers.